Projectiles



INVEN TOR.

J. L. AUXIER PROJECTILES Filed Jan. 10, 1955 I PI V. [B 8 j a I I A I I /I I h I I I I I I II I I I I/ I I I /II II II I II/ I IIII// II 4 I I II/ II I I I I I III I/I I II// I/// II I I I IIII April 12, 1960 United States Patent PROJECTILES Jean L. Auxier, Pikeville, Ky.

Application January 10, 1955, Serial No. 480,776

6 Claims. (Cl. 102-91) The present invention relates to ordnance projectiles and more particularly and specifically to expanding bullets of the open base type for use in the hunting of game with sport rifles.

The invention disclosed in the present application constitutes certain improvements made over my prior invention as disclosed in application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 443,730, filed July 16, 1954, and the present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of this prior application.

It was established in my prior application that a very substantial need has existed for a number of years for the provision of an expanding game bullet which is particularly adapted structurally and functionally to the high velocities at which present day bullets travel.

In my prior application I discussed certain prior expanding bullet constructions which have been heretofore provided in an effort to present projectiles of improved function at high velocities, and the inherent disadvantages in the structures and functions of these prior constructions were discussed and pointed out in detail.

The disadvantages inherent in these previously discussed prior constructions led to my earlier invention which provided a new and unique expanding bullet construction which resulted in superior performance at high velocities and at varied ranges. My present invention provides further improvements over prior constructions and over my prior invention both in the construction as well as in the resultant function of expanding game bullets.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an expanding bullet which overcomes the many disadvantages and performance failures inherent in prior projectiles of this type.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide an expanding game bullet which will result in maximum penetration and expanding characteristics at present day high velocities and over a wide variety of ranges.

It is another object of this invention to provide an expanding game bullet which includes a soft, malleable nose core for contact expansion and which provides a strengthened heel or rearward portion constructed so as to retain its shape and configuration during and following impact for the purpose of providing maximum penetration.

Another distinct object of the present invention resides in the provision of an expanding game bullet construction in which the rearward penetrating core of the projectile is of substantially the same diameter as the expanding nose core thereby insuring the maximum penetration for the particular caliber of the projectile.

Still another object is the provision of an expanding game projectile which is capable of simple and inexpensive one or two piece assembly from standard tubing thereby facilitating and reducing the costs of manufacture.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a method of manufacturing expanding game bullets which is extremely simple and inexpensive in practice and which results in the production of a halanced projectile having superior characteristics of expansion and penetration at high velocities and varied ranges over projectiles constructed in accordance with prior practices.

Still further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art when the construction and method steps comprising the present invention are fully understood from their disclosures in the following general statement, description and drawings.

The present invention may be stated in general terms as consisting of an expanding game projectile including a tubular jacket having a forwardly tapering nose portion and an open base end, a malleable core entirely filling the jacket throughout its length, and a partition member dividing the jacket intermediate its length into nose and heel core portions; and a method of manufacturing an expanding game bullet from tubular stock including the steps of cutting the stock into sections of preselected length, tapering one end of each section inwardly through a portion of its diameter, folding the second end inwardly of the section within itself to form a partition intermediate the jacket length dividing the jacket into front and rear opening nose and heel cavities, and filling said cavities with a malleable core.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation in vertical section of the improved projectile constituting the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation in vertical section of a modified form of the invention as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation in vertical section of an additional modified form of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an elevation in vertical section of still another modified form of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an elevation in vertical section of yet another modified form of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is an elevation in vertical section of a modified construction of the invention as disclosed in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an elevation in section of still another modification of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an elevation in section of a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is still another modified form of the construction shown in Fig. 7.

Disclosed in the accompanying drawings are several modified proectile constructions all of which are made in accordance with the basic concepts of the present invention and which may be divided generally into two primary and illustrative embodiments which are distinguished by either a one or two piece construction.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 through 4 there is disclosed an expanding nose projectile structurally assembled from a single piece of tubular stock to produce a game projectile having numerous advantages in performance and construction over the prior art.

In Fig. 1 a projectile is shown, generally designated at '10, which includes a tubular jacket 11 having a forwardly tapered nose portion 12 which partially closes one end of the jacket leaving a restricted opening 13 therein. The rearward end of the jacket 11 is depressed inwardly for a spaced distance to provide for a double walled thickness as at 14 by reason of the inwardly depressed section lying immediately adjacent the inner wall of that portion immediately forward of the inwardly depressed portion, and the extreme ends of the inwardly depressed portion are turned at right angles to extend transversely of the jacket forming a partition 15 intermediate the length of the jacket and dividing the jacket into a front opening nose cavity 16 and a rear opening heel cavity 17.

A soft core 18 is provided within the nose cavity 16 to completely fill the same and is built up forwardly of the restricted opening 13 to form a pointed nose 19 for the projectile. The heel cavity 17 is filled with a soft core 20 extending from the rearward face of the partition 1-5 rearwardly within the confines of the double walled construction 14 to terminate adjacent the rearward end of the jacket walls.

By the foregoing construction it is apparent that a projectile is provided which includes a stiffened heel portion having the increased rigidity of a double walled structure which will enhance the penetration characteristics of the rear or heel core and at the same time a penetrating core is provided which is of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the expanding nose portion of the projectile.

It is further evident that the foregoing construction provides for a projectile which is capable of extremely low cost manufacture by reason of its simple one-piece fabrication from standard tubular stock which is readily available commercially in the desired materials and diameters for the production of projectiles of varied calibers.

In Figs. 2 through 4 there are shown modifications of the one-piece projectile construction of Fig. 1 which pro vide for varied characteristics of the basic and preferred embodiment.

In Fig. 2 a projectile is constructed in accordance with the constructions described in Fig. 1 with the additional provision of an annular cannelure 21 being provided in the jacket wall immediately forward of the partition 15 within the jacket and overlying the peripheral edge of the forward face of the partition annularly within the jacket. The cannelure 21 in this construction will increase the rigidity inherent in the heel portion of the projectile thereby increasing the penetration characteristics of the bullet.

The projectile construction illustrated in Fig. 3 is identical in all respects to that described and illustrated in Fig. 1 with the single exception that the partition wall 15 is provided centrally with an opening 22 formed by terminating the inner ends of the inturned rear portion of the jacket forming the partition at a spaced distance from each other. The particular advantage inherent in this modified construction lies in the fact that in the fabrication of the projectile it is possible to form both the front and rear cores of the projectile by a single pouring operation, this being made possible by the communication provided through the opening 22 between the nose and heel cavities of the projectile.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a further modification of the projectile illustrated in Fig. 1 wherein the partition 15 is, by common die and expression techniques, thickened in its central region as at 23 to provide a forwardly disposed convex face on the partition wall with the thickness of the partition diminishing toward the side walls of the jacket. Again, this particular construction provides increased penetration of the heel portion of the projectile with the increased strength forwardly of the heel core in the thickened partition wall.

In Figs. through 9 there are illustrated projectiles, all illustrative modifications of a basic concept characterized by a one-piece jacket construction having a separate partition member located intermediate the jacket length and transversely thereof dividing the jacket into nose and heel cavities.

In Fig. 5 the jacket, generally designated at 24, includes a tubular member tapered inwardly at its forward end as at 25 providing a restricted central opening 26 therein, the jacket having an open rearward end 27.

A cup-like member 27 having an outside diameter substantially identical to the inside diameter of the jacket is inserted inwardly through the open rear end in an upright condition with the side walls 28 of the member in frictional parallel engagement with the inner walls of the jacket and the bottom or end wall 29 of the member being located transversely of the jacket intermediate its length dividing the jacket into a forwardly opening nose cavity 30 and a rearwardly opening cavity 31. The nose cavity 30 is filled by a core 32 which is built up forwardly of the restricted opening 26 to form a pointed nose 33 on the projectile, while the heel cavity 31 is filled with a core 34.

The foregoing construction has the inherent advantages of being fabricated from standard tubular stock and from fabricated cup-like partition members the parts being structurally assembled with facility and at low cost resulting in a projectile having a penetrating core of the same diameter as the expanding nose core and being stiffened laterally by the partition wall to increase the rigidity of the penetrating heel portion of the projectile.

In Fig. 6 an identical construction to that shown in Fig. 5 is disclosed wherein the cup-like member forming the partition is located in an inverted condition within the jacket in reverse to that disclosed in Fig. 5. The same characteristics and advantages are inherent in this projectile as in that previously described.

The projectile illustrated in Fig. 7 includes the onepiece jacket construction 24 and a cup-like partition member 35 which has a circular side wall 36 which extends from the location of the partitioning wall 35 intermediate the jacket length rearwardly and co-extensively with the jacket wall Where at its rearward end it is folded outwardly and upwardly around the jacket wall as at 37 to interlock the partition within the jacket retaining it longitudinally of the jacket.

In this construction the rigidity of the penetrating core is increased by doubling the thickness of the jacket walls around the penetrating heel core while still retaining a pentrating core of substantially the same diameter as that of the expanding nose.

In Fig. 8 there is illustrated a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 7 wherein the rearward end wall of the jacket is folded inwardly, upwardly and then outwardly as at 38 around the rear end of the side wall of the partition member interlocking the partition member and the jacket for the sameadvantages inherent in the previous modification.

Lastly, with reference to Fig. 9 there is illustrated a double cup-like partition member 39 including circular side walls 40 connected intermediate their lengths by a transverse wall 41 which forms a partition transversely of the jacket intermediate its length when the double cuplike partition member is inserted inwardly in the open rear end of the jacket to locate the rearmost portions of the side walls 40 adjacent the rearmost end of the jacket wall. In this construction it is possible to interlock the partition and the jacket as disclosed by folding the jacket wall inwardly around the rear end of the partition walls, or it is possible to reverse the procedure in accordance with the disclosure of Fig. 7.

In accordance with the foregoing disclosures it is apparent that unique and improved expanding nose projectile constructions are provided of a one or two piece characteristic which inherently attain and satisfy all of the objects and advantages heretofore set forth.

It is also evident that a projectile construction has been provided which is capable of manufacture by the new improved methods herein disclosed at substantially reduced costs over the manufacturing methods heretofore employed for prior projectile constructions.

Accordingly, having thus described and illustrated my invention in the several possible and preferred embodiments which are illustrative of the basic concepts thereof, what I desire to claim is:

1. A projectile including a tubular jacket having a forwardly tapered open nose portion, the rear end of said tubular jacket being depressed inwardly adjacent the inner wall of a forward portion of said jacket and then transversely of the jacket intermediate the jacket length forming transversely projecting walls terminating in spaced relationship and forming a partition dividing the jacket into front and rear opening nose and heel cavities, the heel cavity having a doubled wall thickness, and a malleable core fil-ling the entire jacket in both nose and heel cavity portions.

2. A projectile including a tubular jacket having a forwardly tapered open nose portion, the rear end of said jacket being depressed inwardly and then transversely of the jacket forming a partition intermediate the jacket length and dividing the jacket into front and rear opening nose and heel cavities, said partition having a greater thickness in the region of the axial center of said jacket and tapering in reduced thickness outwardly to the walls of said jacket, and soft cores filling both the nose and heel cavities forwardly and rearwardly of said partition.

3. A method of making a one-piece expanding nose projectile from a preformed length of tubular stock including the steps of tapering the nose end portion of the stock inwardly to partially close the same, folding the rearward end walls of the tubular stock inwardly and forwardly adjacent the inner wall of the stock to a point intermediate the length of the stock, then turning a portion of the inwardly folded end walls of the stock transversely of the stock forming a partition intermediate the length thereof, and filling the cavities forwardly and rearwardly of said partition with a soft core material.

4. A projectile including a one-piece tubular jacket having a forwardly tapered open nose portion, the rear end of said jacket being folded inwardly adjacent the inner wall of the jacket portion immediately forward thereof, the innermost folded end of the rearward jacket portion being turned at right angles forming a partition dividing the jacket intermediate its length into front and rear opening nose and heel cavities, and malleable cores filling both nose and heel cavities forwardly and rearwardly of said partition.

5. A projectile construction as defined in claim 4 wherein the diameter of the heel cavity is equal to the greatest diameter of the nose cavity less twice the thickness of the jacket wall.

6. A projectile construction as defined in claim 4 wherein the jacket walls are of doubled thickness throughout the length of the rear opening heel cavity defined between the partition and the rear end of the jacket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,172,035 Newton Feb. 15, 1916 1,328,334 Newton Jan. 20, 1920 1,967,416 Leussler July 24, 1934 2,682,224 Braverman June 29, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 869,595 France Nov. 17, 1941 

